Hello there, my name is Gina Gardiner and my whole life has been about working with people around personal empowerment, about helping people recognise that they can.

I’d like to talk to you today about beliefs, because our beliefs have such strength in enabling us to do those things we want to or in keeping us stuck.

If you believe you can, you’re more than half way there, but if you believe you can’t, then it’s a done deal you’re never going to try.

I’d like to share with you a story, and it’s a personal one but it really illustrates how when you open your mind to possibilities, then you can do more than you realise.

About 10 years ago I went on a course and part of that course was the opportunity to do a fire walk.

Now for those of you who are not familiar with that concept, you walk over hot coals in your bare feet. Now I know that sounds absolutely mad but actually if you have the right mindset, you can walk across those hot coals with no burns.

At that time I was more or less wheelchair bound. I’ve learnt to walk twice as an adult and at that time I was pretty limited but with a bit of help I managed to do the fire walk and I was absolutely ecstatic.

I turned around, and the guy behind me was a double amputee, he had no legs from the knee down. He tipped himself up out of his wheelchair and he did the fire walk on his hands.

I was to use the words of the children in my school; I was a head teacher for 21 years “GOBSMACKED”.

What it did for me was it made me realise that I was self limiting.

Prior to the fire walk I’d wanted to do a course in San Francisco. I dismissed it as technically just too difficult to get myself there, to be able to go on the course within my wheelchair and not manage.

I had a belief that it wasn’t possible but after I had seen this guy I recognised that anything was possible. I booked my flight, I booked the course, and I had a fabulous time, and since then I’ve done a number of courses, travelled over to North America and to South America on my own, I know I can do what I set my mind to do.

So, what beliefs have you got that keep you stuck as a victim?

What are the beliefs you have that empower you? They are absolutely and entirely your choice.

Think about your life. Think about those things where you self limit by saying “can't do that, it’s too difficult “

Just have a look at your life and audit your beliefs, those that are empowering you keep, those that aren’t I suggest you challenge them.